Being a billionaire gives you an abundance of freedom. As the wealthiest fashion designer in the world, Giorgio Armani chooses to spend his time and fortune on tucked away mansions in some of the most scenic places the world has to offer, allowing the 91 year old to follow the warm weather as he pleases.
He has most of the Mediterranean covered, with a remote home on the Italian island of Pantellaria, and a farmhouse on the Tuscan coast. He also docks his superyacht in Saint-Tropez for easy summer access.
But one of his more prized locations is in the small sailing capital of the Caribbean, Antigua. Amidst the rocky Gallery Bay, which is located on the western side of the island, Armani’s home sits atop a cliff with views over the ocean, with separate buildings connected by a web of terraces that gives an unmatched level of exclusivity for the godfather of fashion.
Gallery Bay in particular is very scenic, with the residential development Armani is in only including 25 luxury villas, and 10 minutes from the capital of St John’s and 20 minutes from the V.C Bird International Airport.
“Antigua is quite simply one of the most scenic islands in the Caribbean, with lush areas of countryside juxtaposed against myriad beaches,” says the designer. “Antiguans are the warmest and most welcoming hosts, who immediately make you feel at home.”
The locals are very aware when Mr. Armani is in town, frequenting the town on morning walks wearing his signature black clothing.
“I first visited Antigua in 1987. I just had a glimpse of the island from a distance, but I swore I would be back to explore it with due attention,” he says. “I think I was charmed by the colours of the sea and the outline of that small faraway island. When I went back in 2003, as a friends’ guest, I noticed that the property next to theirs was up for sale. I bought it in 2006.”
His compound started off as a pair of separate villas with a large tropical garden. But when travelling, Armani brings along friends and relatives as houseguests on longer holiday stays, so he decided to expand the villas into a complex to facilitate this. Both structures, the 5 bedroom villa flower and the 3 bedroom villa Serena were designed Antiguan style, with peaked, shingled roofs that act as parasols left open on the side.
He kept this style, expanding the buildings originally designed in the 90s by architect Gianni Gamondi, linking then to satellite pavilions, with a larger central living room at the core like a piazza within the house. These pavilions step down the slopes and have verandahs attached that overlook the lagoon and private beaches that guests have access to.
Another subtle detail is that there are hardly any glass windows, only a mosquito proof netting. “I wanted a real feeling of openness to the elements,” says Armani. Providing the ultimate postcard view.
Armani, being Italian, prefers a classic style. To match the view, he creates calm interiors using natural materials and soft shades of grey and beige, which he believes bring balance and a feeling of peace.
Walls inside are clad tatimi (traditional Japanese floor mat made from straw and covered with woven grass) which are brown in colour, and wood throughout the interior adds depth with decor planks of camaru, which is a Brazilian hardwood used for the stairs and decking.
Interiors were worked on by his Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio Team, with everything from the sofas, chairs, tables and homewares blending a Japanese sense of simplicity found in the roomy art deco style abode by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, a designer Armani admires.
It’s designed for informality and comfort, as Armani quotes “The house must be lived in”, so there are still some very practical aspects of the house, particularly the window shower with possibly the best bathroom view we’ve come across.
“In all of my homes, I am looking to create an ambience of sophisticated comfort that also reflects the spirit of the house’s location,” he says. “In Antigua, my aim has been to create an environment, both outside and inside, which harmonises my aesthetic with the sensibilities of the West Indies.”
Each villa has their own private pool, jacuzzi, gym and a large outdoor terrace. Some are open to private rentals and can be rented as individual luxury villas or as one 12 bedroom luxury property when Armani is out of town starting at $88,000 per week.
Everything from the architecture to the floor rugs subtly embellish that of a globe trotting billionaire who lives where he pleases, when he pleases. It’s safe to say the perpetually tanned designer surrounds himself with the very best that life has to offer.